1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fences and hand rails and, more particularly to modular fence segments which can be economically manufactured in a minimum number of individual components wherein various lengths or heights can be readily accommodated thereby.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, various types of fences and railings are presently available. However, several problems and difficulties are encountered in providing fencing materials whereby an unskilled individual can construct a fence and/or railing without special tools and devices. Presently, skilled labor with the proper tools must be employed for the simplest construction. Thus, the expense of the most routine fence structure with its components becomes very burdensome for the average homeowner -- particularly for those who are required by law to fence in swimming pools and the like.
Several patents have been issued relating to fence construction but none have proved satisfactory.
The following are some examples of such issued Patents.
Falendysh U.S. Pat. No. 1,488,199 described an iron fence which could be manufactured and shipped in component form. The construction he described was such that the components could be assembled and the entire fence erected by unskilled labor.
Falendysh's discloses a structure composed of post units each composed of a cap member, a base member and a body member and picket units comprised of cap members, base members and body members.
The post unit cap and base members have specially designed lugs as do the corresponding parts of the special picket members. These are interconnected using hinge pins. The picket members are interconnected with each other and with the special picket units by rails that pass through their cap and base members.
Thus the invention disclosed by Falendysh has post caps base and body members, special picket unit cap base and body members, standard picket unit cap, base and body members, rails and hinge pins. A total of ten different items must be tooled, manufactured and correctly assembled for shipment, then correctly assembled in order to "build" a unit of fence. This is a costly and inefficient method. Also the invention is limited in vertical height to the height of the body members. If variable height is desired various height picket body units must be manufactured which involves additional tooling and inventory costs.
The present invention is much simplified and teaches away from Falendysh in its basic construction. Only three individual components need to be tooled. With these three components and accompanying fasteners fences may be easily constructed of varying height and length.
Parker U.S. Pat. No. 1,784,107 discloses a means of attaching modular building units to each other by means of co-acting engagement elements on one member and notches on the mating part.
The present invention is simpler to manufacture, more pleasing in appearance and avoids Parkers claims and disclosure.
Miller U.S. Pat. No. 1,791,680 discloses a system of rails fastened together by locking rods through perforations in the end of the vertical rods and locking bars located in slots on the horizontal rails.
The present invention avoids the use of slots and bars and overcomes the limited use of Millers invention by enabling one to build multiple modules in a horizontal or vertical direction.
Yuen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,724 reveals a sectional construction kit utilizing bamboo. His invention is primarily directed to devices which can be seated in the hollow end members of bamboo and interconnect with each other to form a building structure.
None of these concepts or those disclosed by Verderio in U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,802 are utilized in the present invention which permits similar but improved results to be obtained.